The double-page spread dates back to 1937, appearing in the inside covers of Tintin books published between then and 1958.

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The piece was purchased by an American collector following "15 minutes of furious bidding" at the Artcurial auction house, according to AFP.

Tintin artwork was also responsible for setting the previous world record, with a rare cover from Tintin in America selling for $1.6 million in 2012.

"I thought only these inside cover pages could beat the record set by Tintin in America in 2012. This has happened today with this exceptional drawing," said the auction house's cartoon expert Eric Leroy.

"This new world record confirms the place of cartoon art as a major art form."